The Beloved of the God of War

12 - Darkness

A few hours later, Ares eased the boat onto the shoals by the island. With a deft twist, he looped the rope that had been tied to the prow around a tall rock that jutted out of the water nearby, and he indicated for me to climb out of the vessel after him. I noticed he carried the horn under the arm farthest from me, and I felt a secret tingle of regret and greed begin to simmer inside me before I quashed it down.

“It’s shallow here,” he said, his voice noticeably shorter than when he had last spoken, which was when he had fed me the nectar. I hadn’t felt the need nor the desire to speak in the meantime, either, because that meant I had to look him in the eyes again after the minor incident earlier. “Follow me.”

It was too dark to see well, but I had no choice but to trust his words. If I stayed on the boat, I was sure he would lift me by the scruff of my neck and carry me off anyway. With that thought plaguing me, I rolled up the legs of my sweatpants, took off my shoes, and then inched forward to take a cautious step out of the boat to search for the shallow ground Ares had mentioned.

I grit my teeth, readying myself for what I thought would be the inevitable cold bite of the water, but I found it only cool and gentle against my skin. I took another slow step, wondering if I was just failing to register the proper temperature right away, but it wasn’t long before I was quickly tagging along after Ares’s heels as he made his way down the sloping sandbar. With only the moonlight to see by, it was difficult to see anything in sharp detail, but the boundary of the shore, at least, was clearly visible. The sound of the waves lapping softly against the sands, too, was unmistakable.

“Where are we?” I asked when we were a few steps shy of leaving the water. The island was so quiet besides the whispering of the waves, almost ethereal in its serenity. It was true that it was nighttime, but even so, I thought I might hear at least the cries of gulls circling overhead. But there was nothing at all. Just the smooth expanse of sand for miles in either direction and the small, jutting cliffs on the beach that made me want to stay and linger upon their ledges.

“It doesn’t have a name,” said Ares. “This place sits on the boundary of both realms, neither here nor there.”

“Why are we here?”

“Because someone here has answers.”

I waited for a more thorough explanation, but it became obvious none was forthcoming when he continued up the beach without another word. I hurried to keep up with his pace, slip-sliding on the fine sand that sank under my feet. “Is there anyone even here?” I asked. “Who are you looking for?”

Ares suddenly stopped in his tracks, and I nearly walked into him in my haste. I drew back when he cast a long look over his shoulder at me. “Someone dangerous,” he said, and there was a distinct nuance in his voice that made me tilt my head back in apprehensive caution. Something dark colored his tone, and it reminded me that he knew far more than I did about all things in this domain. “Under no circumstances are you to leave my side, no matter what you see or hear. Understand?”

I nodded.

He turned and continued walking up the beach. “There’s an enchantress here. Her name is Circe, and she’s unpredictable and dangerous. She’s not known to help those in need.”

I felt my eyes glance off to the side. Who was he describing, the enchantress or himself?

“She’s grown stronger than before,” he continued. “There was a time when we could throw off her every spell, but she’s proven herself capable of enchanting even the gods now.”

“Then what protection do we have?” I asked. “What’s to stop her from enchanting us?” And what did enchanting even mean, I wanted to add, but obviously it meant nothing good.

“Nothing.”

I frowned. “Nothing? Then how are we going to -”

“The difference is that you’re of new blood, neither of the humans nor the old gods. Circe carries thousands of years of hatred for both in her heart, which means she will attack me without hesitation. You, she might not.”

I gulped. “Might?”

“So long as you don’t offend her. You’ll negotiate for information about Poseidon in my stead. This was the last place he was seen alive. The nymphs around this island saw him leave, but where he went, nobody knows. Except maybe Circe.”

I pursed my lips and considered my next words, choosing them carefully. I didn’t think it was a good idea to question Ares more than I had already, but I had to try. Everyone knew something about all of the old gods, even if no one knew everything about them, but I had never heard a*********s about enchantresses before. “Why is she so dangerous?” I asked. “Does she...has she killed many people?”

I heard a non-committal grunt. “Never outright, but I’m sure some wish she had.”

I shuddered. What was that supposed to mean, exactly - or did I even want to know? And against someone so cruel and malicious, what was I supposed to do? It didn’t matter if I wasn’t an old god and that she had no personal grudge against me; I was still helping her enemies. Surely that was enough to warrant her wrath.

“She’s known for transforming those who cross her into animals. Pigs, mostly. She pens them and torments them until they go mad and become nothing but mindless, man-eating beasts.”

Oh. Well, at least I didn’t have to ask for any further clarification now. “How are we going to find her?”

Ares raised one shoulder in a half-shrug. “We don’t have to. She’ll find us.”

I raised my head and looked warily around the island’s edge again. I thought I could see shadowy shapes hiding behind every crag and rock and shrub now, and suddenly, it didn’t feel quite so deserted anymore.

------

Ares found a cave deeper into the island for us to stay in. The wind was picking up, and though he said nothing about it, I knew we were both expecting a storm. I stepped outside the cave and peered up at the sky that should have started lightening by now, but thick clouds drowned out even the shape of the luminous full moon - which, strangely enough, looked far closer and larger than it ought to be.

“Don’t stay out there.”

I turned around to see Ares sitting on the smooth ground, his back leaning against the cave wall. He watched me with eyes that smoldered even in the darkness.

“There’s more to worry about than Circe out there. I already told you about the man-eating beasts.”

I quickly retreated from the mouth of the cave and toward the back, making sure to walk just a little past Ares before settling down against the opposite side. Between the two of us, only one was capable of fighting anything off, and it wasn’t me.

The cave wasn’t a wide one. Ares sat with his legs stretched out, and there was only a foot or so of space between myself and his bare feet. He seemed almost normal this way, so casual and nonchalant, half-hidden by the pervasive darkness.

A long, howling moan picked up outside and echoed down the narrow passageway. I drew back further against the wall when the wind whistled into the cave despite knowing that I could not escape it. Sure enough, it buffeted me like a living thing, flattening my hood against the side of my head before swirling further past me. With a shiver, I crossed my arms and drew my knees up to my chest to make myself as small as I could.

“Are you cold?”

I looked up. There was Ares, seemingly unbothered by the chill that was clearly beginning to set in. He wore no shoes, no shirt, nothing except the plain sweatpants that wouldn’t feel the slightest bit warm if they were anything like mine.

“Come closer if you are,” he said when I failed to respond. “There are only a few hours left before sunrise, and Circe will come find us then.” He shifted his legs slightly so that they were closer together, as if he were making room for me by his side. I couldn’t help but notice that it was the side farther from the cave mouth, and I felt something nervous and shy and pleased all at once fluttering inside me.

Stop it, I told myself sternly. “I’m all right. Aren’t you cold?”

At his neutral stare, I almost pinched myself. Of course, I thought. I remembered now the heat that Ares’s form radiated, like a living fire danced just under his skin. That was why he had told me to come closer, I realized.

But he said nothing about that, and instead beckoned me over with a curl of his hand. “Come here,” he said again - an order this time. And despite the self-conscious apprehension that whispered up and down my skin and raised goosebumps, I found myself wavering.

Finally, I pushed myself up to a stand, and before I could change my mind, I scurried over to join him against the other wall. I sat down, making sure to keep a respectable amount of space between us - enough for another person to squeeze into, if they so wanted. I wished I were brazen and brave enough to scoot closer, but already, I could feel his warmth seeping into me.

“You can come closer,” he said. He sounded bored. I turned to look at him and found nothing but an inscrutable expression on his face. Not for the first time, I found myself floundering at his masculine beauty - I had been about to say something, but I didn’t even remember it now.

At a loss for words, I could bring myself to do nothing but nod. I pushed myself up slightly with both hands on the ground and then slid closer, closer at an agonizing snail’s pace. One inch. Two.

Suddenly, I felt a strong hand wrap around my upper arm, and Ares dragged me closer into his side. I almost sprawled sideways onto his lap, but he caught me as quickly as he had surprised me. A second later, I found myself nestled against him, still stunned and confused at what had just happened.

“Stay there,” said Ares, and I was struck with a sudden and eternal gratefulness for the darkness that concealed my blush.